Texas Judge Delays Prison Release for ‘Thin Blue Line’ Movie Subject

A judge’s last-minute intervention kept Randall Dale Adams in prison Monday as he was about to walk free after serving 12 years in prison on a controversial conviction for the killing of a police officer.

District Judge Ron Chapman reset Adams’ bond at $100,000, superseding another judge’s decision to release Adams simply on a promise to appear in court.

The action, which culminated an afternoon of confusion among prosecutors, judges and defense attorneys, came after the district attorney’s office filed a motion to have state District Judge Larry Baraka removed from the case.

In another late development, prosecutors said for the first time that they were prepared to retry Adams since his conviction was overturned after being questioned in the film “The Thin Blue Line.”

“We are ready for a trial right now,” said Assistant Dist. Atty. Winfield Scott. “We could call and crank up this trial right now if you wanted us to. We’re fully prepared to proceed with the trial.”

Judge Chapman said 54th District Judge Carl Anderson would hear the motion to have Baraka removed from the case today. If the judge rules that Baraka should not be removed from the case, Adams could be released under the $50,000 personal recognizance bond that Baraka set for him earlier Monday.

Defense attorney Randy Schaffer said Adams did not have the 10% necessary to post bail on the $100,000 bond. Adams remained in the Lew Sterrett Justice Center Monday night.

Adams, 40, has steadfastly maintained his innocence in the 1976 shooting death of Dallas police officer Robert Wood.

His conviction was unanimously overturned by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals on March 1.

Earlier details in Calender Morning Briefing, Page 2.